BSL November Comment v5

Brotherhood Of St Laurence

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www.bsl.org.auBrotherhoodCommentISSN 1320 8632November 2002A regular update from Social Action and ResearchOutcomes and obstacles: the Job Network and disadvantaged job seekersThe recent release of a report showing negligible Announcing the Job Network reforms in 1996, the of both the quality of assistancebenefits for job seekers taking part in Intensive government outlined four key objectives: delivered and employmentAssistance (the highest assistance category) in outcomes achieved. the Job Network has reignited controversy • deliver a better quality of assistance, with moresurrounding the government’s claims of its sustainable outcomes Outcome focussuccess. The Department of Employment andA number of factors have beenWorkplace Relations (DEWR) report concluded • target assistance on the basis of need andidentified as contributing towardthat the likelihood of being in employment capacity to benefitthis situation, in particular thethree months after the completion of Intensivestrong outcome focus andAssistance (IA) is improved by only 0.6 percentage • address structural weaknesses and inefficienciescommercial operating environment. points. Some 25.6 per cent of 2402 IA participants inherent in previous arrangementswere found to be in employment 12 months It appears that the structure of theafter completing the program, compared with • achieve better value for money (ProductivityJob Network itself actually25 per cent in a control group receiving ...

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Outcomes and obstacles: the Job Network and disadvantaged jobseekers

A regular update from Social Action and Research

Announcing the Job Network reforms in 1996, the government outlined four key objectives: • deliver a better quality of assistance, with more sustainable outcomes • target assistance on the basis of need and capacity to benefit • address structural weaknesses and inefficiencies inherent in previous arrangements • achieve better value for money (Productivity Commission 2002). Four years later, research by the OECD (2001) and Productivity Commission (2002) points to overall outcomes similar to those achieved under previous arrangements, despite huge reductions in funding, implying significantly improved value for money. However, the Job Network does not appear to be working for all job seekers. A more detailed analysis suggests that there are significant problems in the Job Network incentive structure, and that the heavy reliance on market forces to allocate assistance to job seekers is both inequitable and inefficient. The Productivity Commission’s Independent Job Network Review (2002) as well as a number of other studies (Davidson 2002; Eardley et al. 2001; ACOSS 2001), have concluded that the long-term unemployed and highly disadvantaged job seekers have been most adversely affected. These groups appear to be faring less well under current arrangements than under the previous Labor government’s Working Nation initiatives, in terms

The recent release of a report showing negligible benefits for job seekers taking part in Intensive Assistance (the highest assistance category) in the Job Network has reignited controversy surrounding the government’s claims of its success. The Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR) report concluded that the likelihood of being in employment three months after the completion of Intensive Assistance (IA) is improved by only 0.6 percentage points. Some 25.6 per cent of 2402 IA participants were found to be in employment 12 months after completing the program, compared with 25 per cent in a control group receiving no assistance (DEWR 2002, p.80). When established in 1998, the Job Network represented a radical departure from previous employment services arrangements. The role of government was redefined and assumptions regarding the best methods for the allocation of services were overturned. The key premise of the new system was that the provision of employment assistance could be most effectively undertaken by the private sector in a competitive market environment, where the role of government would be reduced to that of purchaser of employment services on behalf of eligible job seekers. Funding was to be allocated on the basis of outcomes achieved (the placing of clients in employment), rather than inputs or assistance provided, with the understanding that the market-based incentives of maximising profit and maintaining competitiveness would provide the most efficient allocation of services.

of both the quality of assistance delivered and employment outcomes achieved. Outcome focus A number of factors have been identified as contributing toward this situation, in particular the strong outcome focus and commercial operating environment. It appears that the structure of the Job Network itself actually encourages lower quality provision continued on page 3 Contents 4 Asylum seekers in Australia 5 Community care challenges 6 Job seekers and motivation 8 HIPPY: an early childhood education program 10 Life Chances update 12 Much obliged? social security obligations 13 Preparing for work: youth views 14 National Education and Employment Forum 15 New information resources

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November 2002

ISSN132 l.org.ausb.www

Brotherhood Comment

In this issue

This issue of Brotherhood Comment contains several security obligations. Sally Jope writes about another articles related to people who are unemployed and project focusing on 18 to 20-year-olds and their need to rely on income support and employment experience of preparing for work agreements. services while they search for work. Tim Gilley reports on the experiences of asylum Daniel Perkins examines the effectiveness of the Job seekers in Australia and Philippa Angley highlights Network, with particular attention to the needs of the increasing demand for community care services, disadvantaged job seekers such as those encountered enabling frail older Australians to stay living in their by the Brotherhood’s employment services. own homes, as Australia’s population ages. Stephen Ziguras reviews research about work-related HIPPY, an innovative early childhood education motivation, and considers how current welfare to program, involving home tutors and equipping work policies are likely to affect motivation among parents to work through educational activities with job seekers. He also reports progress from a joint their preschool children, is evaluated by Tim Gilley. project interviewing Centrelink clients, especially Janet Taylor provides an update of the findings Newstart recipients, about their views of social about families’ financial situations from stage 6 of the Life Chances longitudinal study.

Outcomes and obstacles: The human face The BSL’s employment services staff have direct issues may be more important for the individual at experience of working with clients who face that time of their life than immediately gaining significant barriers to gaining employment. employment. Among these issues are homelessness, physical abuse, substance abuse and health issues.’ They report receiving more and more clients who require extensive groundwork prior to an One young man had been homeless and had dropped employment plan being completed. out of an apprenticeship. Encouraged to volunteer for Intensive Assistance, over several months he received Although in theory the Personal Support Program lots of support from his case manager who was (PSP) is available for people who present with eventually able to approach another employer about multiple barriers, some clients do not declare these recommencing the apprenticeship. barriers until they have already commenced Intensive Assistance and spent several weeks developing a It may be necessary to make referrals to other relationship of trust with their case manager. Even support services – for example, counselling or then, referral to PSP does not guarantee the clients even, in one case, self-defence classes – before will be accepted, due to the strict criteria for the the client can undertake job search activities. program and the lack of initial disclosure. The staff feel it is important to value social outcomes As one case manager indicated, ‘Many barriers are as well as financial ones. One woman had serious presented that we need to deal with, and these health problems after a severe accident. These

Published in November 2002 by Brotherhood of St Laurence, 67 Brunswick Street Fitzroy, Victoria, 3065 Australia ABN 24 603 467 024 Telephone [phone] Facsimile 03 9417 2691 E-mail [e-mail]

November 2002

There are also reports concerning the National Education and Employment Forum and recent additions to the Brotherhood’s library. Bonus publication Also included with the mailout of this Comment to subscribers is the latest Changing Pressures bulletin, drawing on conversations with 40 asylum seekers about their experiences. Deborah Patterson Editor [phone] [e-mail]

reduced her working capacity and made her painfully shy and withdrawn. Because she lacked the confidence to approach Centrelink to reduce the hours she was required to work or grant a disability support pension, the case manager liaised directly with Centrelink to initiate the assessment process. The client attended basic computer training which developed skills as well as boosting her confidence. Assisting people who may have limited ‘marketable’ skills, have faced repeated knockbacks and feel very discouraged, often requires time, patience and imagination.

Brotherhood Comment depends on your subscription for its mailing cost (see p 16) Brotherhood Comment is published three times a year by the Social Action and Research Division of the Brotherhood of St Laurence. The Brotherhood of St Laurence works for the well-being of Australians on low incomes to improve their economic, social and personal circumstances. It does this through direct aid and support, and by providing a wide range of services and activities for families, the unemployed and the aged. The Brotherhood also researches the causes of poverty, undertakes community education and lobbies government for a better deal for people on low incomes.

Brotherhood Comment

continued from page 1

by creating an incentive for providers to utilise the lowest cost inputs and achieve quick outcomes, rather than investing in quality services with the potential to address underlying causes of labour market disadvantage. A profit-maximising provider will invest only to the level at which the return is expected to at least cover the additional investment. Amongst long-term unemployed and highly disadvantaged clients, for whom there is often a low likelihood of achieving employment (and hence a return), the incentives are simply not high enough to justify significant expenditure. There is evidence that suggests a decline in the quality of support provided, a move away from holistic assistance, and a reduced focus on the broader welfare and personal needs of clients (MacDonald & Abello 2001). The Productivity Commission (2002) found that in most cases Intensive Assistance was neither intensive nor of assistance, and that in general little was being done to address underlying employment barriers. Moreover, the financial incentive structure is seen as providing insufficient resources and rewards to encourage adequate investment in social and human capital of highly disadvantaged clients. This has created the additional problem of large numbers of job seekers being ‘parked’ (registered with the provider but provided with no assistance) because the cost of removing barriers is too high relative to the outcome payment. The outcome focus has further negative impacts on the system through its tendency to focus resources on those clients where an outcome is most likely to be achieved in order to maximise revenue and maintain the agency’s competitive position. The result of this is a diversion of resources away from the clients most in need toward those who would be more likely to find a job anyway, leading to both inefficiency and inequity. Non-profit and community based agencies are shielded from the outcome focus to some extent because of their broader social goals and the absence of the profit motive; but they are still required to achieve results comparable to commercial agencies or risk losing their contract.

Outcomes and job quality Another concern relating to disadvantaged job seekers is the removal of any notion of job quality from the achievement of employment outcomes. For example, placing a job seeker into a low skill, low pay job with no prospects for development is valued equally with placing someone into a job with good training, reasonable pay, and possibilities for career development. When combined with the continual pressure on agencies to achieve outcomes and with other moves to deregulate the labour market, this may result in job seekers being pressured into low pay, low quality jobs. The third Job Network contract period, due to commence in July 2003, does contain a number of changes designed to improve the levels of assistance offered to disadvantaged clients. These include changes to performance and incentive structures, training accounts, and a service guarantee. Overall, however, defining characteristics such as the outcome focus and competitive environment, have not been substantially altered and it seems unlikely that a significant improvement in the delivery of assistance will take place. The impact of changes to employment assistance caused by the Job Network model has been to severely constrain agencies’ ability to effectively assist disadvantaged job seekers. The tendency to focus providers on short-term minimum cost solutions is leading to a decline in service quality, and marginal benefits to job seekers, rather than promoting quality assistance that addresses underlying barriers to employment. An equally serious concern arises from the reduction of job seekers to inanimate commodities being traded in a profit-driven, outcome-focused employment services ‘market’. Achieving a balance between market-based performance and incentive structures, on one hand, and providing effective support addressing the complex needs of disadvantaged job seekers, on the other, appears highly problematic and is an area within the current system requiring considerable improvement. Daniel Perkins [phone] [e-mail]

References ACOSS 2001, Submission to the Productivity Commission inquiry into the Job Network model , Australian Council of Social Service, Sydney. Davidson, P 2002, ‘Employment assistance for long-term unemployed people: time for a re-think’, in Competing visions: Refereed proceedings of the National Social Policy Conference 2001 , (eds.) T Eardley & B Bradbury, SPRC Report 1/02, Social Policy Research Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney, pp.107-125. Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR) 2002, Job Network evaluation: Stage three: effectiveness report , DEWR, Canberra. Eardley T, Abello D & MacDonald H, 2001, Is the Job Network benefiting  disadvantaged job seekers? SPRC Discussion Paper no 111, January, Social policy Research Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney. MacDonald, H & Abello, D 2001, ‘How is the Job Network impacting on the operations and orientations of community-based non-profit agencies?’, paper submitted to 8th Nation Conference on Unemployment: Is this as good as it gets?, Ballina, New South Wales, viewed 5 September 2002, <http://norsearch.scu.edu.au/ unemploymentconf2001/papers/ index.html>. Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) 2001, Innovations in labour market policies: The Australian way , OECD, Paris. Productivity Commission 2002, Independent review of the Job Network: Draft report , Productivity Commission, Canberra.

3 November 2002

Brotherhood Comment

What kind of welcome? Seeking asylum in Australia

Views about how people seeking asylum in Australia should be treated have become highly politicised. In public debate the issue has been linked to border control, deterrence of future asylum seekers, terrorism, migration intake numbers and longer term considerations of desirable population growth for Australia. In a recent study, Brotherhood of St Laurence staff from the Ecumenical Migration Centre and Research and Policy investigated how Australia treats asylum seekers, through the eyes of 40 people with personal experience of seeking permanent sanctuary in Australia. They come from many troubled corners of the globe, including Afghanistan, Congo, Iran, Sri Lanka and East Timor. This research is reported in more detail in a Changing Pressures bulletin (see references). Anxiety and exclusion Participants spoke warmly of their treatment by ordinary Australians, but said that government policies made their lives more miserable. They described experiences in detention; lengthy and uncertain processes in determining their claim for a protection visa; being denied family reunion rights; being denied work rights and income support, or receiving income support at a lower rate than that available to others; and problems of access to English classes, health and education services. People’s feelings about their treatment in Australia need to be understood in the context of their reasons for leaving their country of origin. Most left because their lives were not safe. They were fearful about being returned if their protection claims were not accepted. For those who had lived in Australia for a considerable length of time awaiting a decision, there was the additional apprehension about having to start their lives over again in countries where there were few opportunities for themselves and their children. Some people were anxious about the safety of family members still living overseas. Their stories they told us illustrate the intolerable pressure being placed upon people who came with a history of pain and suffering, seeking in Australia a safe refuge. The purpose of the current system of treatment of these people appears to be to deter others from journeying here and then seeking asylum. But as one participant commented (see panel), why would even this poor treatment deter people who are desperate?

4 November 2002

If the people we spoke with are eventually allowed to remain in Australia, we have added to the burden of their adjustment. Many have only the hope of a temporary protection visa for 3-5 years and face a future of continuing uncertainty, consigned to the margins of society. Others, if unable to prove a well-founded fear of persecution, will have to leave Australia and we will have added a period of darkness to their already difficult lives. What is needed High quality bipartisan political leadership has in the past brought humanity and justice to our treatment of those seeking safe refuge in our country. Such leadership is needed now more than ever. This research and the on-going work of the Brotherhood’s Ecumenical Migration Centre suggest that the following measures are needed to ensure just and compassionate treatment for people seeking Australia’s protection: • Asylum seekers should be quickly processed and accommodated in the community, with reasonable reporting requirements preventing absconding, unless individually assessed as a security, health or safety risk. • Those asylum seekers accepted as refugees under the Refugees Convention should be given permanent protection and thus be entitled to family reunion and to the full range of essential settlement services. • For people seeking Australia’s protection, public funds should be used to provide adequate humanitarian services in the areas of housing, health care, education, and income support, rather than the current costly system of detention. Tim Gilley Contact Ainslie Hannan Ecumenical Migration Centre [phone] [e-mail] Reference Brotherhood of St Laurence 2002, Seeking asylum in Australia: Stories of exclusion and uncertainty , Changing Pressures no. 11, November, Brotherhood of St Laurence, Fitzroy, Vic.

Insights from asylum seekers When the government started chasing us we went to a province, from there to pay our way out of the country… We thought it would be good to go to the South Pacific, to go far away, it would be peaceful and we would not be found. (Asylum seeker from the Congo) While I was in the detention centre I used to read newspapers and I read about the Immigration Minister who said, after the new legislation, ‘I will keep these people [in mandatory detention]’. He kept us for one year as punishment to get the message to other people not to come to Australia. So it’s obvious that it’s not the reputation of good treatment of refugees in Australia [that brings them here] but because people are desperate and experiencing hardship, as a drowning man clutching at straws. (Asylum seeker from Iraq) Our cases are going on years and years. This is our valuable time. They are putting us in a limbo state. My stamina, my strength, they all have gone. When I get up in the morning I have nothing to do (Asylum seeker from Sri Lanka)

Brotherhood Comment

Community care: Facing the challenges

A significant proportion of the Australian provide a further 6,000 packages over the next Preliminary information has population either has a disability or is providing four years. A similar problem exists for Linkages confirmed the industry perception assistance to someone with a disability. The most packages, with demand exceeding supply. that many organisations are recent Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers experiencing staffing difficulties, estimated that more than 1.9 million people Moreover, with the ageing of the population, the particularly in attracting and needed assistance to move about, shower and/or number of people requiring assistance is expected retaining staff to provide home dress, prepare meals, conduct housework, to grow markedly, placing further strain on the care, personal care and respite perform light property maintenance or paperwork, sector. In Victoria, the population aged 75 and care services. To meet the or communicate (ABS 1998). The majority, over is predicted to rise from 280,000 in 2001 to expected growth in community 1.4 million, received informal assistance from approximately 425,000 by 2021 (DOI 2002). Many care services over coming decades relatives and friends (ABS 1998). Many of these of these people will receive assistance from more staff will be required. It will informal care-givers, however, need assistance informal care-givers, but the need for formal be necessary to improving the themselves when it comes to helping their community care services can also be expected to attractiveness of community care relatives or friends. significantly increase. employment, particularly to men In addition to the shortage of packages there is the problem of insufficient funding for each package, especially with the increasing costs of services such as visiting nurses and meals delivery.

In 1998 it was estimated that more than 900,000 people who needed assistance to perform one or more everyday task received support from formal care providers (ABS 1998). Most of this formal care is provided through community care services funded by Commonwealth, state and territory governments, particularly the Home and Community Care (HACC) program, Community Aged Care Packages (CACP) and the Disability Services Program. Community care services provide support for people in their home rather than in residential care, respecting the wishes of the majority of people in need of assistance. The Brotherhood of St Laurence (BSL) is involved in community care services, primarily through the management of CACPs and the Linkages program (a HACC-funded program). Both of these programs are funded to enable a range of services to be provided to frail older people and people with disabilities to remain living in their homes. The CACPs are targeted at older people, whilst Linkages packages provide support for both older people and people with disabilities. The BSL currently manages packages that provide care to 449 people. Care packages and increasing needs Unfortunately, the community care sector is under stress. Providers of CACPs state that there are not nearly enough packages to meet the demand for this level of support, despite the Commonwealth Government’s recent budget commitment to

In addition to the shortage of packages there is the problem of insufficient funding for each package, especially with the increasing costs of services such as visiting nurses and meals delivery. The BSL has been involved in a recent campaign with the Victorian Association of Health and Extended Care (VAHEC) to highlight the inadequacies of the current funding to enable people to remain at home. In the case of Linkages, it has been suggested that some providers are spending over $60,000 per year to support one individual, although government funding only provides $11,042 per person per year. Similarly, the funding for one CACP is often insufficient to provide care and support for an older person to remain safely at home. Providers believe that the people they are now supporting in the community have higher care needs than ever before, in terms of their level of frailty or disability, and funding has not kept up with these needs. Staffing Unfortunately, there is another major challenge facing community care providers, namely having enough skilled staff to provide care. The BSL, together with VAHEC, is currently undertaking research into the recruitment and retention of community care workers. This project has been funded by the Victorian Department of Human Services through the HACC Program.

and to younger people, if we are to meet the growing demand for this type of care. Findings from the research will be presented at a forum later in 2002. The number of people requiring support to remain living at home is already stretching Victorian community care organisations, and without intervention, the problem will get worse. The majority of older people and people with disabilities wish to remain living in their own home, even when they need considerable support. Funding, from both levels of government, must be increased to allow them to do so. Philippa Angley [phone] [e-mail] References Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) 1998, Disability, ageing and carers: summary of findings , Cat. no. 4430.0, ABS, Canberra. Department of Infrastructure (DOI) 2002, Know your area (population projections) , viewed 26 September 2002, <http://www.doi.vic.gov.au/ knowyourarea>.

5 November 2002

Brotherhood Comment

Getting moving? Motivation theory and the search for work

Social security policy in Australia currently aims to an individual’s work-related motivation. People are • are subject to punishment and encourage people to undertake activities to improve likely to be motivated when they: negative reinforcement rather their chances of gaining employment. A key than reward question is then ‘How can policy motivate people to • have specific, difficult but reachable goals undertake such activities?’ This article attempts to • feel that external agents are address this question by reviewing theory and • have a single goal or a small number of goals attempting to control their research findings about work-related motivation. which do not conflict behaviour.

• are able to set their own What do we mean by motivation in the context of goals Welfare to work policies unemployment? Performance can be described as and motivation a joint function of ability and motivation • are committed to these goals and feel they have (Moorhead & Griffin, 1998), or in other words, the capacity to reach them In Australia, welfare to work greater motivation increases performance in the policies have tended to emphasise faceofunchangedability. o W e e n lfare  t i o n   w tw or o k   s p et o s li  c o y f •receivepositivefeedbackabouttheirprogressin obligationsandpenalties(through t cia a a e i c m t m i p v s l i  t o t i o y e  s m : m  e t o n h t t i o  v ( s i a e n t  e c e  l x p u p e d e i o n c p t g l e e a d t  c t ti o v l e e  g j a o a d b  g  d e s ir e e a c r t c ly h) o and i m s e s e p ti e n ci g f  i t c h a e n se d   g pr o a al c s ti , c e al speciallyifthefeedback e bo m t p h l t o h y e m s e o nts l e  r s v e i c c u e r s i  t s y y a st n e d ms), t n h d o i s v e i  d w ua h l i ’ c s h p a o r t e e  n e t x ia p l e  c o t r e c d a t p o a i ci m ty p  r t o o v f e i  n an• t r h e e c i e r i  v g e o  a s l o s mevaluedrewarduponachieving a w n it d h  lessattentionpaidtorewards i d work over  self-direction. Goals are the longer term (such as training, skills  largely established on the basis of n a cas  bureaucratic requirements rather t i o m w p a r r o d v s e  m ga e i n n t i , n o g r   p ta er ki ma g nente u m a p l l j o o y b m a e s n  t a )  . strategy• c b o eli m e p v a e r t e h d a  t w r it e h w t a h r e d  s r  e f w or a  r t d h s e  ir r  e e c f e f i o v r e ts d   a b r y e   o f t ai h r ers thananindividual’saspirations, Motivation is reduced ... when people have goals assigned by others

The most relevant and well known psychological • receive positive reinforcement for their efforts construct is ‘work-related motivation’ which Pinder (1998) describes as the set of internal and • feel that their behaviour and rewards are external forces that initiate work-related behaviour, consistent with their intrinsic goals and needs. and determine its form, direction, intensity, and duration. This definition recognises that both Conversely, motivation is reduced when people: environmental and internal forces affect work- related behaviour, and has been widely studied. • have no goals, or goals which are too difficult While there are some problems in applying the idea of ‘work-related motivation’ to unemployment • have vague, multiple or conflicting goals – for example some theories examine the motivation effects of job characteristics, which do • have goals assigned by others not apply when someone is not employed – much of the research is directly relevant to unemployed • do not feel they have the capacity to reach the job seekers. goals set Five major theories of work-related motivation that • believe the rewards for their efforts are unfair have received substantial empirical investigation compared with rewards received by others over the last three decades – expectancy, equity, goal setting, reinforcement, and cognitive • have no reward or recognition associated with evaluation theories – were reviewed. While a full achievement discussion of research into these theories is beyond the scope of this article, we can • receive no positive feedback or encouragement summarise a few general principles that influence about their progress

6 November 2002

although there is scope for ‘preparing for work agreements’ (PFWAs) to perform a more useful role. The large numbers of requirements are likely to be seen as attempts to control a person’s behaviour rather than as a form of positive feedback or assistance. Punishment is common and reward rare, and it can reasonably be expected that many job seekers perceive the system in negative terms, perhaps more so the longer they have been unemployed, or the more experience they have with the penalty system. Based on the available research, the main features of the social security system seem likely, at worst, to reduce motivation among long-term unemployed

Brotherhood Comment

people, or, at best, to do little to enhance it. While this analysis suggests some possible In addition, some features of the system seem improvements for the income support system in destined to engender negative attitudes towards Australia, it is important not to over-estimate the Centrelink, at the same time that policy aims to impact of such changes. Since there are currently encourage job seekers to see it as a source of in Australia far fewer jobs than job seekers, the help. Current policies may be contributing, at likelihood of finding a job as a result of job least in part, to the continuing high levels of search is low (particularly for the long-term long-term unemployment. unemployed), leading to understandable People are more likely to be motivated when they receive positive reinforcement for their efforts Some changes to policy are suggested by these discouragement for those who are continually results. A first point should be to genuinely rejected. The increase in unemployment (and engage people in setting goals based on their hence in the number of people on benefits) is own aspirations, and to minimise compulsion due, however, to changes in the availability of and the threat of punishment. Disengaging the work over the last two decades, rather than link between preparing for work agreements changes in the motivation of unemployed people. and entitlement would make the goal-setting role of PFWAs more appealing to job seekers. Stephen Ziguras Support and direction from staff may be useful, [phone] but allowing some flexibility in the time taken [e-mail] to develop these plans would allow individuals to feel a greater sense of ownership and References commitment. Further, some existing Moorhead, G & Griffin, R W 1998, Organizational requirements (such as job search diaries and nizations 5th employer contact certificates) could be reduced behavior: h Managin l g i  n p , e B o o pl s e t  o a n n , d M o a r s g s a achusetts. , or removed.  ed., Houg ton Miff r C k motivation in Since the current reward structure is perverse,  Pinde , C 1998, h  a W vi o o r r  ways need to be found to reward people who o S r a g d a d n l i e z  a R t i i v o e n r a , l N b e e wJers , ey Prentice-Hall,Upper . make progress towards their goals. These might include a ‘participation payment’ for undertaking  The full list of references on which this article is training or meeting progress goals, and reducing  based is available from the author. the effective marginal tax rates for casual and part-time work. Lastly, the breaching system should be redesigned as a way to ensure compliance rather than to punish. Two key changes need to be made: reducing the absolute amount of the penalties, and ensuring that once a person complies with their obligations, their payment is restored to its normal level with no further loss of income.

Observations from employment serivces Brotherhood employment staff have observed a number of factors which may influence job seekers’ motivation. For example, the official letters inviting people into Intensive Assistance have a rather legal tone with an emphasis on penalties for non-attendance – but these may have the counter-productive effect of causing people not even to turn up for interviews. In order to avoid this demotivating effect, Brotherhood staff devised their own welcoming letter, focused on the offer to support and encourage job seekers, which is sent to participants before they receive the Centrelink communication. This helps to create a more positive start for the search for work. Another issue is understanding job seekers’ needs. Mature-age job seekers, in particular, find no motivation in the idea of ‘squeezing’ themselves into just any job, because they know they would like to use skills that they have already invested time and effort in acquiring. For many of these people, assistance needs to focus on developing their ability to identify transferable skills, to gather information about relevant industries and to change careers, rather than more standard aspects of finding advertisements and lodging applications.

7 November 2002

Brotherhood Comment

Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters (HIPPY): an encouraging start in Australia

Research purpose and method The research investigated whether the program met its goal of improving school success and which aspects of the program and its implementation were responsible for any positive or negative effects.

It involved a mixture of qualitative and quantitative method: • participant observation of children, parents and tutors • interviews with program staff, parents and other stakeholders • direct testing by the researcher and children’s teachers of the 33 children in the HIPPY group and a matched comparison group of 33 non- HIPPY children.

Program outcomes Parents were able to identify what their children learnt in HIPPY, in relation to specific educational activities, literacy, numeracy, and an improved orientation to learning.

Children in HIPPY outperformed non-HIPPY children on most external assessment measures in the two rounds of assessments. By the second round, children in HIPPY were performing at similar levels to the average of Victorian children on most measures, including literacy and numeracy and school behaviour. In contrast children in the comparison group were performing significantly below average on most of these measures.

Nineteenth century social reformers dreamed that early childhood education would provide the critical input to enable children to escape from the poverty they had been born into (Mellor 1990). At the beginning of the twenty-first century early childhood education is firmly on the national and international policy map as a key anti-poverty strategy (Fleer 2002; OECD 2001). The Home Instruction Program for Preschool Youngsters (HIPPY) is an exciting early childhood education program new to Australia, targeted to disadvantaged young children and their families. Over 30 years, it has proven its capacity to improve the educational success of disadvantaged children in 10 countries, and with a wide range of cultures and languages (Lombard 1994). Individual implementations of HIPPY have also been known to fail, but there has been limited research into reasons for either failures or successes (Baker, Piotrkowski, & Brooks-Gunn, 1999). Children were assessed for general development, The scores for the 20 children with This article summarises an evaluation of an  erac sk im u pl c e at m io e n n  ta p t r i o o g n r  a of m a , t H w IP o- P y Y e , a t r a  r e g a e r t l e y d c  h a i t l f dh u o r od l r i e t l e a r t a e c d y   t a o n a d c n a u de m mica y c  hie il v l e s m an en d t, s  c w h it o h o  l t  w be o haviouro p w n a h l r y t o i   c a i b p o at u i t o  le o n t  n i e e n d    y H t e h I a P r P o Y f andthe13 ed o and  rounds of mid-year assessments conducted in l fi e v v e e - l y s e o a f r  - e o d ld u  c c a h ti il o d n r  e a n n  d w i h n o c s o e m p e a , r l e iv n i t n s g h i a n d   i l n o n w er theirfirstandsecondyearsofschooling(theo c f o t m h p e c  a o p re m ro d p  gr w a it m h  t w h e e e r   e s f  u c s l o l e  r t p e w a s r  o f a  o t y e r e l t a y h rs e Melbourne. These were the sec d intake of  second year of the HIPPY program and the year  non-HIPPY children. There were familiesintotheprograminAus o t n ralia. afteritscompletion). gainsforthegroupwithlesser Home visiting was a convenient and friendly way for families to receive the program Family participation participation but they were smaller What is HIPPY? Thefamiliescamefromelevendifferentcountries. t t h w anf e orthosewhocompletedthe HIPPY is aimed at increasing the success at school Only in three families were the parents Australian-  o y ars. of children living in educationally disadvantaged born. The other families had English as a second, Keys to effectiveness families, usually on low incomes. The two-year third or even fourth language. The two most  The factors that best explained program supports parents to deliver a set common home languages were Vietnamese and educationalcurriculumofactivitiestotheirchildren,Somali,withothersbeingCantonese,Hmong, t id h e es nt e i  fi s e u d c  c b e e s l s o f w u : l  outcomesare spending a minimum of 15 minutes per day, five Spanish, Thai and Turkish. There were three days per week, for 30 weeks in both years. Home distinct patterns of participation: tutors are employed and trained to deliver the P i a r r c e u n m ta s l t  a m n o c t e i s vationand program to parents. The tutors are usually selected • 13 children and their families and completed the c from the same community as other participating full two years of the program based in Fitzroy.  Parents were keen to assist their families and usually have a child in HIPPY. The  children to succeed in education, coordinatorfacilitatesaweeklytrainingsessionfor•13childrenandtheirfamiliesonlycompleted u b n ut d g r e s n ta er n a d l i l n y g la o c f k  e h d o a w n bes home tutors. Families receive a fortnightly visit of about one year of the program in Fitzroy.  e t to aboutanhour.Onalternateweeksparentsattenda b promote  t p h a i r s e . n T ta h l i  s e  x c p o e n c g t r a u ti e o n n c s e and groupmeetingwithotherparentsandtheirhome•7childrenandtheirfamiliesstartedlateand th e e t  w p e u en fHIPPYwasamaj tutor.Iftheyareunabletomakethismeeting,theycompletedonlyaboutoneyearoftheprogram factori r n p  o it s s e   s o uccess.Onthehe or receive a shorter home visit of about half an hour. based in North Melbourne.  ot r hand, one family was unable to

8 November 2002